View full sizeThe Associated PressMelissa Wilkie, who lives west of Longview,Wash., questions Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer during a meeting about possible coal shipments from Montana to China through a new terminal in Longview during a January meeting at the Cowlitz County Administration Building in Kelso, Wash.

Developers of a proposed coal terminal in Longview, Wash., have bigger plans for coal export than they disclosed publicly, internal documents indicate.

But internal documents indicate the developer wants to quickly expand the terminal to 25 million ton a year capacity, and perhaps extend it to 60 million tons in the long run. The New York Times first reported the story today.

In a November memo, Millennium's former chief executive, Jeff Torkington, advised against telling regulators about the expansion plans, warning that Millennium could be "perceived as having deceived the agencies."

Torkington advised waiting two months after permit approvals for the 5 million ton terminal before disclosing the expansion plans.

Millennium officials told the Times the documents showed the company exploring various ideas it has so far not decided to pursue.

Ambre and Millennium Bulk Logisitics submitted the documents to Washington state's Shorelines Hearings Board. The board is handling environmental groups' appeal of Cowlitz County's November permit approval for the coal terminal, with a hearing set for April.

Columbia Riverkeeper, one of the groups filing the appeal, has more details about the documents on its Web site.